King's Lynn

King's Lynn stretches along the Great Ouse River and shows narrow lanes, Gothic-era warehouses and an old market hall at the center. Gray stone facades alternate with brick houses, while boats line up at the quay and enliven the riverside walk.

The settlement received a royal charter in 1204 and grew rapidly into a port for wool trade and grain export. During the civil war in the 17th century, royalist and parliamentary forces confronted each other here, hastening the decline of trade.

The name connects to King John, who granted royal privileges to the settlement in the early 13th century. Locals often call the place simply Lynn, while visitors still encounter traders and fishermen along the streets who have been linked to the North Sea for centuries.

Trains connect the place to Cambridge in less than an hour and reach London in just under two hours. Walking through the old town, visitors find parking near the riverside and can explore the narrow lanes more easily on foot.

A building from 1683 at the quay shows Dutch architecture with curved gables and now serves as an information point for travelers. The facade recalls trade links across the North Sea that brought merchants and builders from the Netherlands here centuries ago.

Location: King's Lynn and West Norfolk

Shares border with: Hunstanton

Website: https://west-norfolk.gov.uk

GPS coordinates: 52.75430,0.39760

Latest update: December 4, 2025 19:03